Online physiotherapy for Parkinson's
If you are medically stable, a video session lets your physiotherapist watch how you walk and move and set up exercises for stiffness, walking, balance and falls risk, with a carer welcome to join. Before you start, your GP or specialist team must confirm it is safe for you to begin physiotherapy. We make no claim to change the condition itself. Stroke signs mean 999.
How online physiotherapy works for Parkinson's
The NHS lists physiotherapy among the supportive therapies for Parkinson's. It says a physiotherapist can work on muscle stiffness and joint pain through movement and exercise, with the aim of making moving easier and improving walking, flexibility and fitness. NICE guidance recommends Parkinson's-specific physiotherapy for people with balance or movement problems. It does not cover video sessions or our service.
We do not claim that exercise changes the course of Parkinson's. Our aim is practical: movement, walking, balance and confidence in daily life. Your care plan stays with your Parkinson's team, and the NHS says that plan should be agreed with your healthcare team and reviewed regularly, because regular reviews are needed as the condition progresses.
Our neurological rehabilitation service is for people who are medically stable, and it does not replace your Parkinson's team or GP. Before you start, your GP or specialist team must confirm it is safe for you to begin physiotherapy. Our service guidance says a family member or carer can join the session and help get the room ready.
If falls are a worry for you, we look at balance and the way you walk. NICE falls guidance, which covers older people and people aged 50 and over at higher risk, recommends a falls prevention exercise programme for those who have fallen in the past year and have a walking or balance problem. Our gait and mobility assessment covers walking analysis and planning in more detail.
Video has limits. We cannot catch you if you lose your balance, so we plan movements you can do with something solid nearby and, if needed, another person with you. We cannot adjust medicines or assess how your Parkinson's is progressing; those stay with your Parkinson's team.
What the video assessment checks
- What you want to keep doing or get back to, such as walking outdoors, getting up from a chair or turning over in bed.
- How you walk and turn, how you get out of a chair, and whether you feel steady, stiff or hesitant at certain moments.
- Any falls or near-falls, and where and how they tend to happen.
- Confirmation that your GP or specialist team has said it is safe for you to begin physiotherapy, your current exercise, and any advice you have already had from your Parkinson's team.
- Whether the room you will use at home is safe for movement checks, and who can be with you.
- Your energy and confidence, and what you find hard to keep up between sessions.
What treatment usually involves
Your plan starts from your goals and from a few simple movement checks over video. We build a short routine for stiffness, walking and balance that you can repeat at home, and we adjust it as things change.
The first session is a 60-minute video assessment at £40, and follow-ups are 30 minutes at £30. Triage at booking confirms whether video suits you, and we will say so plainly if it does not.
Because the NHS says Parkinson's care needs regular reviews as the condition progresses, we expect your plan to change over time. We review it with you at follow-ups. Keep your GP or specialist team informed about your treatment.
Our service guidance says reviews look at everyday change that you notice for yourself, not at a set timetable. We use the same approach here.
How long recovery usually takes
Parkinson's changes over time, so we do not give a timeline or promise a result. We review your walking, balance and daily movement with you at each session, and we suggest you speak to your Parkinson's team if you notice changes in your symptoms or your medicines.
When you need to be seen in person instead
A video appointment is not the right route for the situations below, and a home visit is not a substitute for urgent care.
- Call 999 now if you think you or someone with you is having a stroke. Use FAST: Face drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulty, and Time to call 999. Other signs include weakness or numbness down one side, blurred vision or loss of sight, and dizziness. Do not drive yourself to A&E.
- If you have severe hip pain after a fall or injury, cannot walk or put weight on the leg, or have tingling or loss of feeling in the hip or leg after a fall or injury, the NHS says to call 999 or go to A&E. Do not drive yourself.
- After a head injury, such as in a fall, the NHS says to call 999 if, for example, the person has been knocked out and has not woken up, cannot stay awake, has a seizure, has fallen from a height of more than 1 metre or 5 stairs, has problems with their vision or hearing, has clear fluid coming from their ears or nose, has new numbness or weakness, has problems with walking, balance, understanding, speaking or writing, or their behaviour has changed. This is not the full list, so see the NHS head injury page listed in the sources. If you take blood thinners, are being sick or feel dizzy after a head injury, contact NHS 111. Do not drive yourself to A&E.
- If you have fallen in the past year and were hurt, could not get up on your own, blacked out, or have fallen 2 or more times, NICE falls guidance for older people and people aged 50 and over at higher risk recommends offering a full falls assessment to people in that situation. Ask your GP or local falls service about this rather than relying on video sessions alone.
- For worries about your medicines, new symptoms or your care plan, speak to your Parkinson's team or GP. The NHS says your plan is agreed with your healthcare team, and we do not change it.
- If you cannot move safely at home without hands-on help, or need equipment fitted in person, we cannot provide that by video. Our service is for people who are medically stable, not for acute care.
Exercises and self-checks
Common questions
Can physiotherapy help with Parkinson's?
The NHS lists physiotherapy among supportive therapies, with the aim of making moving easier and improving walking, flexibility and fitness. We do not claim it changes the course of the condition.
Can I do this by video if I live alone?
It depends on safety. We plan movements with something solid nearby, and triage at booking confirms whether video suits you. A family member or carer is welcome to join if that helps.
Do you work with my Parkinson's team?
No. We are a separate private service and we do not replace your Parkinson's team. Keep your GP or specialist team informed about your treatment.
Do I need anyone's go-ahead before I start?
Yes. Before you start, your GP or specialist team must confirm it is safe for you to begin physiotherapy. We ask about this at booking, and triage confirms whether video suits you.
Can you help with falls?
We look at balance and walking, and our gait and mobility assessment service covers this in more detail. If you have fallen and are hurt, use the urgent routes listed on this page first.
Further reading
This information is general and not a substitute for an assessment. Don't start a new exercise programme without advice from a physiotherapist or doctor who knows your condition. If an exercise causes pain that doesn't settle, stop and seek advice.
Sources
Book an online assessment
A 60-minute video assessment with an HCPC-registered physiotherapist is £40.
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